tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post5144881180233813664..comments2024-03-28T19:36:39.783-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: On Words...and finding themJungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-5697558486820212512010-05-18T12:28:38.817-04:002010-05-18T12:28:38.817-04:00Rhys, I agree with your "When I write I don&#...Rhys, I agree with your "When I write I don't want my readers to be conscious of the words on the page. I want them picturing the scene I am creating." <br /><br />I was on a panel once where the subject was "Making the Words Count." My contribution to the discussion was that it's our job as writers to make the words invisible. You should have seen the mouths fall open, followed by a lot of nods. If a word stops a reader, s/he is yanked out of the scene and the story. To the dismay of my editor, who would like me to write with a dictionary beside me to spruce up my paltry vocabulary, I work hard not to let that happen.<br /><br />There is one Thesaurus I use occasionally: the Emotion Thesaurus on The Bookshelf Muse website. I occasionally discover fresh mannerisms for my characters there.Lynda Fitzgeraldhttp://www.fitzgeraldwrites.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-67661254172786293312010-05-17T17:05:53.694-04:002010-05-17T17:05:53.694-04:00I don't use the thesaurus very often either, b...I don't use the thesaurus very often either, but sometimes I know the word I want and it doesn't come. When they happens, I'll resort to the book my father gave me for Christmas - The Dictionary for Writers - and that has been wonderful. It even points out words that shouldn't be used in a certain way. I also have the Flip Dictionary.Laura Elvebakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13244784234252040454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-70078454478057598402010-05-17T13:13:39.546-04:002010-05-17T13:13:39.546-04:00I do xxx too! Sometimes if I stop, the whole thin...I do xxx too! Sometimes if I stop, the whole thing just goes out of my head. Later, I can think of dozens of possibilities.Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-85405011535042187492010-05-17T12:47:19.886-04:002010-05-17T12:47:19.886-04:00I keep it simple on the first draft, too. It's...I keep it simple on the first draft, too. It's more important to me to get the story down first, and hopefully more exciting descriptions/words will come to me on draft two.<br /><br />I've often searched the thesaurus for great words or for ones I can substitute for a word I've overused, but I often come up empty handed. I like the "xxx" suggestion!Meredith Colehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00694011653129019961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-65927572020771929262010-05-17T12:35:10.942-04:002010-05-17T12:35:10.942-04:00I'm with Bob, forget the fancy words. But it&#...I'm with Bob, forget the fancy words. But it's so great when you can use a familiar word in an unfamiliar way. Like this: "A car trolls by slowly..." Or this observation: "Dread takes up very little space." Both from Jess Walters' Citizen Vince, a virtual lesson in using words in afresh ways.Hallie Ephronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759439029582054503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-36354033243843825992010-05-17T12:01:56.578-04:002010-05-17T12:01:56.578-04:00I don't actively use a thesaurus while I'm...I don't actively use a thesaurus while I'm writing but I also find it handy when I'm proofing and discover that I've used the same word too often and too close together. I never have thought it necessary or impressive to use fancy words - I'm not a fancy guy - but sometimes changing out a word does help the flow. I'd recommend keeping one close if you're not use to using the one in your software.Bobhttp://www.bobdoerr.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-57488117850310782512010-05-17T11:58:53.407-04:002010-05-17T11:58:53.407-04:00I rarely use the thesaurus to jazz up the language...I rarely use the thesaurus to jazz up the language. I use it often, though, when I want a more precise way to express something than I've been able to come up with. That overloaded or overaged brain sometimes can't find it on its own. The online thesaurus is limited, but usually if I try the word, then try the word it gives that is closest to what I'm looking for, and keep going, I get there eventually. Or it just pops up in my head while I'm doing the exercise.Pat Battahttp://patriciabatta.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-84698811731604292122010-05-17T11:39:05.457-04:002010-05-17T11:39:05.457-04:00Peg,
That's what I find happens too. It might ...Peg,<br />That's what I find happens too. It might not provide the right word, but it provides a clue to the right word.<br /><br />I'm curious about this Flip dictionary Terry and Silver James reference. <br /><br />Terry, I have the Descriptionary but found it only applied to topics I didn't need. <br /><br />Sheila, that letter sounds hilarious.Jan Broganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11323983086318138814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-40611082693549244412010-05-17T11:37:30.173-04:002010-05-17T11:37:30.173-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Jan Broganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11323983086318138814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-59626523659909385982010-05-17T10:52:18.889-04:002010-05-17T10:52:18.889-04:00I use my Synonym Finder when I'm editing and l...I use my Synonym Finder when I'm editing and looking for a better word choice. Often, the list of words will flip a switch in my brain to something I hadn't thought of before.Peg Brantleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04906858123466177508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-10096970091899625412010-05-17T10:52:01.488-04:002010-05-17T10:52:01.488-04:00As much as I am a bibliophile, I am a logophile at...As much as I am a bibliophile, I am a logophile at heart.I may not stumble upon the perfect word in the first draft, but my Flip Dictionary is dog-eared and shabby from sleuthing through it for just the right on in subsequent drafts.<br /><br />And my captcha word is sluar. Hee! This could be a monster, or a person who sleuths words!Silver Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15606837105470988646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-74892924368548246432010-05-17T08:55:43.869-04:002010-05-17T08:55:43.869-04:00I think it's important to get the story down f...I think it's important to get the story down first and then polish the language. But I find on-line thesauruses (thesauri?) ridiculous.<br /><br />Once at a fundraising job I held briefly, I circulated to staff members a parody of an "ask" letter in which I had substituted the thesaurus's choice for all the important words. I thought it was funny. Most of the other people had no clue. And this was at a college! We're definitely losing the nuances of our language.Sheila Connollyhttp://www.sheilaconnolly.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-11124445531916324412010-05-17T08:30:49.883-04:002010-05-17T08:30:49.883-04:00I don't like to slow the writing by finding th...I don't like to slow the writing by finding that 'perfect' word, but on the re-read I try to get rid of as many repeats and weak words as possible. First shot: the 'synonym' click in Word. Next, my Synonym Finder. Also love the Flip Dictionary, and Descriptionary when I need more.<br /><br />But I don't like going too fary beyond my rather bland vocabulary. I don't like to stop reading to look up words (anyone read Barry Eisler? Great writer, but Rain uses very fancy words sometimes) and figure my readers won't eitherTerry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.com